Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Great War A.R.R.C. and M.M. group of five awarded to Acting Sister A. G. Boyd, Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve

Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class (A.R.R.C.), G.V.R., silver and enamel; Military Medal, G.V.R. (A. Sister A. G. Boyd. A.R.R.C. Q.A.I.M.N.S.(R).); 1914-15 Star (S. Nurse. A. G. Boyd. Q.A.I.M.N.S.R.); British War and Victory Medals (A. Sister A. G. Boyd.) mounted court-style for display, together with Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. silver cape badge and Overseas Nursing Association silver recruiting badge with ‘1919’ bar brooch, nearly extremely fine (7) £4,000-£5,000

A.R.R.C. London Gazette 2 May 1916.

M.M. London Gazette 4 March 1918:
‘For bravery, coolness and conspicuous devotion displayed in the performance of their duties on occasions when the Casualty Clearing Station has been under hostile shell fire and bombed by enemy aircraft.’

Her Military Medal was awarded for bravery at No. 7 Casualty Clearing Station at Noeux-les-Mines, near Béthune, the original recommendation held by the Imperial War Museum giving a more detailed account:
‘For conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in that during the night of September 12/13th 1917, during very heavy enemy shelling, when pieces of shell were striking the hospital, and one of the personnel was wounded she carried out her duties with the greatest courage and coolness. Her bravery, cheerfulness, and devotion to duty during this horrible night were of the greatest advantage, when the darkness and helplessness of the wounded made many of them seriously alarmed. Her presence of mind and absence of fear gave a much needed confidence to the patients. This is only one of the many dangerous occasions when Miss Boyd has acted up to the highest traditions of the Nursing Service.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 5 May 1916 (Despatch of Sir Ian Hamilton dated 11 December 1915) and 21 June 1916 (Despatch of General Sir John Maxwell, commanding the Forces in Egypt, dated 16 March 1916) this second mention being specifically for her service in hospital ships.

Anna Georgina Boyd was born on 23 May 1888 at Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, the daughter of a farmer, and was educated at the Model School, Newry. She trained at the Royal Victoria Hospital from August 1909 to November 1912, and left in October 1913 after a period as a Staff Nurse and Sister in the Rotunda. From then until her enlistment she was engaged in private nursing and midwifery. She was accepted into Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve on 9 July 1915, and disembarked at Alexandria for service at No. 19 General Hospital on 26 November 1915. She later served in hospital ships before transferring to France.

She arrived at No. 4 General Hospital, Camiers, on 29 February 1916, and later served in the Hospital Ship Aquitania followed by a month at the Lord Derby Hospital, Warrington, before returning to France and No. 7 Casualty Clearing Station at Noeux-les-Mines. She was promoted acting Sister on 1 August 1917. After a period at No. 46 Stationary Hospital, Etaples, she arrived at No. 38 Casualty Clearing Station where she remained for a year. Her final posting saw a return to No. 4 General Hospital in December 1918, prior to her demobilisation on 14 March 1919. After the war Miss Boyd took her Central Midwives Board certificate at the Lying-In Hopsital and applied to the Overseas Nursing Association, being posted to the Malay States in 1920 (Honours and Awards to Women - The Military Medal by Norman G. Gooding refers). She died in London on 29 January 1957.

Sold with original letter of congratulations from the Matron in Chief, B.E.F. upon award of the M.M., and War Office letter advising that all ladies who attend an Investiture at Buckingham Palace to receive the decoration of the Royal Red Cross should afterwards proceed to Marlborough House to see her Majesty. Together with copied research.